by D. R. Rosier
The men looked them all over, and they relaxed slightly since it was seven women and one man. A mistake on their part perhaps, but it really wasn’t. He meant them no harm, and in fact was here for the opposite reason, to protect them.
The oldest among them, around thirty with brown hair and gray eyes said, “I’m Jim. What brings you here this evening?”
Lin said, “We were curious about your intentions, and what you might be running from? I’m Lin by the way, and this is my sister Kim. We keep an eye on our borders, so we couldn’t help but notice the people and wagons come down out of the mountains.”
Jim replied, “Your border?”
Lin smiled disarmingly, “My boss’s border.”
Jim grunted, “We came from a community in Whitehall, south of Helena. Bout two years ago now I think a couple of guys came through telling stories the west coast is a safe place to set down roots. We didn’t think much of it at the time, our community was small but fine and thriving. We didn’t give that fella or what he said another thought for a year and a half. It was about six months ago the trouble started. Bunch of jackasses showed up and started using intimidation tactics to take over the community. There was close to a hundred of the bastards. They started to take all our stuff.
“The last straw was when Joseph’s wife was raped and killed, but we knew it would be suicide going against four to one odds. We waited and prepared, and the next time they rode out on one of their buffalo hunts we mounted up and went west.”
Kim said, “Those folks weren’t wrong. Our leader protects the land and border, but he doesn’t ask for taxes and leaves the independent communities alone. There’re also a few communities near here, closest one thirty miles down the road. They’d be happy to trade with you.”
Jim narrowed his eyes, “Mind telling me how you knew we were on the run?”
Lin replied, “Simple enough. Moving and setting up a community is hard work, and it’s been five years since emergence day. No one wanders looking for land that long. There’s also the small matter of the thirty-two men on horse that’ll arrive on your heels in just about forty-five minutes.”
Jim’s eyes widened and he yelled back, “We’re gonna have company soon!”
Lin smiled, “Relax. That’s why we’re here. We protect the border, no assholes allowed.”
Jim chuckled, “The seven of you? You won’t mind if we get ready, just in case.”
Kim grinned, “Not at all. Enjoy your night, we’re just going to move around you and up the road a ways.”
Jim nodded, and then they moved around them giving the site enough berth so they wouldn’t get nervous.
Sy’lia said, “You let…”
He sighed, “The twins, or you could use their names.”
Sy’lia blushed, “Right, you let Kim and Lin speak for you?”
He nodded, “Men like talking to them more than me, they’re prettier.”
Sy’lia chuckled.
He sighed, “Not a joke, although it is a little amusing I suppose. It’s also prudent not to announce myself to strangers. I was inclined to let these idiots go if they turned back, but I have a policy not to let any rapists or murders I see live.”
Lori grinned at him, her eyes sparkling in the dimming light.
Sy’lia asked, “How can you be sure they are that?”
He said, “I read Jim’s life. If anything, he was downplaying things. Joseph’s wife was the only one raped and killed, but not the only one raped. I don’t care if they all aren’t that way, because they support and run with the guys who are.”
When they were about two hundred yards past the camp, he pulled up and declared it a good spot. He could see they were still about forty minutes out. Hopefully they knew how close they were, and didn’t stop for the night, or he and the girls would have to keep going. He certainly wasn’t going to wait all night or come back in the morning.
Luckily, that didn’t happen, maybe they expected to catch up with them in the dark and take they’re quarry by surprise. He wouldn’t let that happen either.
He said, “Assuming we find what we expect to. Lori, dominate as many as you can, but let Kim and Lin finish them. Each asshole is worth protecting a village for two years if they get the kill. Sy’lia, if you wouldn’t mind make sure the horses don’t run off. Thirty-two horses will give our new friends some stuff to trade to help start their new community. Mara will protect us all, and Cassie and I are on oh shit detail.”
“Oh shit detail?” the elf asked in her usual musical voice. Hearing her curse was kind of amusing, in her dulcetly sweet tones.
Cassie said, “Yes, as in, Oh Shit, I didn’t see that coming. The enemy might surprise us, or have a magic user among them, or something.”
Sy’lia said, “I can do that.”
Lori interjected, “Me too, it’d be my pleasure, and I should be able to get them all. Especially since it’ll be fully dark out before they get here.”
Sy’lia said, “I’m not sure I understand. You’re not going to steal their life force?”
He frowned, “You weren’t wrong about the temptation of it. I can resist but I’d rather not unless I absolutely have no choice, and I don’t enjoy controlling the other side effects either. It’s better if they absorb the life force, then I can just divvy it out without getting all worked up or tempted.”
Sy’lia shook her head, “How can they do that?”
Cassie said, “He enchanted their weapons, and I added my own enchantments as well.”
Sy’lia looked at the long daggers on Lin’s and Kim’s sides in horror.
He explained, “They won’t work for anyone else. If anyone else killed with the daggers, besides me or my creations, they’d be killed since the life force rush would break them. Without my power to convert it to my life force, it’d be ugly. I think it works for them because technically it’s all my life force. Kim’s, Lin’s and the other thousand or so in the villages, as well as the temporary army of two thousand. Regardless, I don’t get the sick rush of excitement when they do it, and like I said, thirty-two deaths will protect thirty-two villages for two years, or sixty-four for a year. It’ll be the first good thing those assholes’ lives ever do.”
Kim nodded, “It doesn’t really do anything for us, at least not magically speaking.”
Sy’lia shivered, and his explanation didn’t look to have swayed her away from horrified disbelief, “I don’t even know where to start.”
Lori snapped, “Then don’t. Watch and judge him by his actions and intentions, and by the results of those. There’s more than one right way to use magic. There’s more than the elvish way, or does all that talk about balance really mean nothing to your race, as you arrogantly look down on the rest of us in judgement for not doing it your way. More than that, you could learn a thing or two about him from watching Kim and Lin as well.”
Sy’lia looked like she’d been slapped, and he had to admit he felt a surge of stunned affection for the priestess of shadows. He hadn’t expected to ever hear the woman defend him so… passionately.
Lin looked confused now, “We’re not like master.”
Lori smiled, “No, you aren’t. You two are all women, and independent in a lot of ways. But it’s just as obvious who you are was formed around his morals, beliefs, integrity, empathy, sense of justice, and fierce loyalty. You even express it differently, as women, but the root drive behind it all is the same.”
Cassie smirked at the stunned twins, “She’s right. You two are pretty awesome.”
Kim blushed.
Lori shrugged sheepishly under his gaze, “I’ve been very quiet the last month, but that doesn’t mean I had my head up my ass.”
He laughed.
Sy’lia asked, “Do you really believe we’re hypocrites?”
Ah, something else humans and elves have in common. Awesome.
Lori asked, “You tell me? It seems so to me. I suspect that’s why we have separate churches, because we’ll never serve or worsh
ip in the same way, with the same priorities. Our version of sorcery is different as well. So, why should a human life sorcerer adhere to elven standards? As long as he isn’t sucking the life out of innocents for the thrill of it, and is using it against enemies to protect others, I don’t see how that could be bad. Temptation can be resisted. The world is full of temptation we deny, and magic is dangerous.”
Sy’lia said, “We understand and agree with that. Our paths can be different, and that’s okay. But there are also universal truths between all races. Such as murder, rape, theft, or slavery, those are evil pursuits pointed ears or rounded.”
Lori frowned, “I concede that point, but I’d argue that a life sorcerer sucking out someone’s life doesn’t apply to those universal truths. It should be who he does it to and why he does it that matters, not that he does it all. It might be a tempting tool that can twist the wielder, but it’s still just a tool without inherent morality of its own.
“Murder is wrong, but self-defense is not. He uses that power for self-defense, defense of others, and to execute murderers and rapists. Everything else he leaves to the village laws and judges. His use of the power is very black and white, and I suspect he avoids gray areas on purpose, so he isn’t tempted to step off the straight and narrow path he’s set for himself.”
He frowned, she was far too perceptive. He hadn’t even seen that truth in himself, until he’d just heard it from her mouth. It probably was why he didn’t get involved in lesser crimes.
Sy’lia said, “I will think on it, but we would argue that overwhelming temptation isn’t worth it. Not when there are other ways and paths to follow.”
Mara snorted almost violently, which was unlike her, “Have you already forgotten Kim’s and Lin’s daggers? He did find another path to follow, to avoid that unwelcome temptation, while still being able to take advantage of the benefits of having the life force. Defense, police, monitoring the borders of our territory. Have you considered if he did it your way, that the hundred people back there would’ve been slaughtered tonight without having a bird watching the border to warn us. Or that the death from the west would roll right over us and kill several communities if he didn’t have eyes on the shore? Not that it’s guaranteed, but it gives us an edge, and it saves lives.
“Plus, Kim and Lin are a delight, and wonderful friends. He only wields that power directly in an emergency, to save lives.”
He frowned, “I’ve considered stopping, and only letting my enchanted dagger wielding minions take life force, while I do it another way. But… it just seems like a waste. That… being able to fuel twenty of them for a full year, from one life force, is worth facing down and fighting off that temptation. That it’s worth my discomfort, for the safety of my people. When put that way, it seems like cowardice to do anything less.”
Kim said, “Hear that Lin? We’re minions.”
Lin giggled, “Dagger wielding minions even.”
He rolled his eyes, then winked at them.
Lin said saucily, “I’m pretty sure minions have to do anything that master tells them to do.”
Kim licked her lips alluringly.
“Bad minions,” he playfully accused.
They both giggled.
He laughed too, when he saw how totally lost the hot elf was. Elves totally didn’t get minion jokes at all. Of course, the next generation of humans probably wouldn’t get it either, not without internet memes and all the B movies removed from the culture without technology. Their conversation cooled after that. He wasn’t really expecting the arrogant elf to change her mind, but at least she was thinking about all that was said. Regardless, they moved on to other less explosive topics for the rest of their wait.
Humor might’ve been different, but he found elves had a similar view on honor and integrity, at least those of both races that had those traits, the outlook was very similar. Elves were perhaps more promiscuous than humans as far as percentage of the population, but at the same time they didn’t do empty hookups like some humans did. They believed in free love, but with friends and trusted companions, not with strangers. Mostly, it was a social thing because they couldn’t get pregnant outside of being bonded, so there was very little risk to it. Especially since they were all limited nature sorcerers as far as animals and plants went, so venereal diseases weren’t something they needed to ever worry about either.
He also learned elves were more patient than humans, and they didn’t jump to conclusions as a rule. Which meant it would be very hard to change her current convictions that what he was doing was wrong, but they weren’t as closed minded as some humans could be either. Given enough evidence to the contrary, they would change a long-held opinion.
There was just enough that the two races held in common to get themselves into trouble, he thought. The similarities made the differences more jarring and blaring.
On the good side during that wait, he decided he wouldn’t have to walk on eggshells around Lori anymore. Her impassioned defense of him, with admiration in her tone, told him she didn’t fear him at all. Perhaps they could even become friends. She was a fascinating and strong woman, and if she almost went too far around the bend… well, that was something they all had in common, save perhaps Mara and their visiting elf.
Of course, that didn’t mean he’d start leering at her or anything, that wasn’t his style. He would just stop looking away and not seeking her eyes when she entered a room which was normal to do between friends. He also wouldn’t hesitate to be the one to open up dialogue between them. He would however, also be able to enjoy the view, peripherally that is, as was his style.
He’d also on the good side, got used to Sy’lia’s startling beauty, and it didn’t quite throw him for a loop anymore. He was also calming down about the whole thing, perhaps in part because he wasn’t holding onto his anger to control his reactions to her anymore. He’d try to be open minded, and there was a chance even if she didn’t change her mind about his power use, that they could work something out anyway. The elves wouldn’t have to deal with him after all, to visit the communities he didn’t live in and trade magical medicinal knowledge among other things.
At least, that was his hope, for his people.
Chapter Six
The only light was from the bright stars and half-moon in the sky. He felt them come into range a hundred yards out, and they were moving at a slow pace by torchlight. He was also pleased to discover there were no magic users among them. He suspected if there was one in their group, they would be back at the base running things, not running off a few hundred miles for some petty revenge.
When they reached about a hundred feet away, Cassie cast a spell that hung a small sun in the sky, and it lit up the area around them for several hundred yards. He had to hand it to the assholes, they barely hesitated a split second before pulling their swords, and they pulled up their horses short at about sixty feet away.
They looked more than a bit rough, and obviously hadn’t bathed in weeks. Their beards and mustaches were scruffy looking, and they had what looked like decent leather armor in addition to the shiny metal swords. Of course, without magic that was just the realities of time on the road, but there was cleaning up in a stream to consider.
Despite his earlier words, his magic was already reading a couple of them, just to make sure, and he was very sure they’d all earned death multiple times in this lifetime.
One of them men said, “We’re in pursuit of thieves, move aside.”
He asked, “Don’t you mean runaway slaves? I have some good news and some bad news for you. The good news is they’re right ahead, and the bad news is murderers are killed in the west coast territory.”
The man grunted, and his eyes flickered to side and he looked at nothing. Kind of like Cassie does, whenever Katie uses her communications spell.
He chuckled, “I’ve seen that look before. So, your sorcerous leader was too lazy to take the ride, but he’s got a spell going so he can watch your empty revenge on some
poor people that went their own way?”
The man’s eyes widened in alarm.
He said to the others, “Kill him last would you, let the sorcerer see what’ll happen to him and the rest of his people if he comes this way.”
The men brandished their swords and screamed, as they kicked their horse’s flanks to charge.
Sy’lia must’ve already done her thing, because the horses bucked powerfully and reared back to dump them all on their asses, and then ran off the side of the road into the field. It was the one major weakness of a life mage, he couldn’t really feel magic at all, just life force. If the effect was subtle enough, he’d be as clueless as a normal person that a spell had been cast.
Before they could even get up, Lori’s terrifying shadows shot out like eager hunting dogs and dove into the men. They stiffened in fear and terror, but they didn’t cry out in pain. The priestess of shadows was foregoing the torture, which in his mind was a very good thing.
It wasn’t really a fight at all. It was an execution of condemned criminals. Sure, he was being vigilant in his awareness, but they didn’t put up much of a fight at all.
Kim and Lin almost casually dismounted and sauntered over. Almost, because they were pretty fast, if in a casual way considering their true speed potential. Almost like his women wanted the men to see death coming, and to despair for their crimes. They didn’t drag it out too long though. The blades took them quickly, and he felt the life force rush into the two beauties as he redistributed it.
They took down the speaker last, and he felt a little conflicted about the rest of the raider gang getting away with it, and no doubt doing the same thing to another settlement.
He frowned, and then raised them all in two batches of sixteen. They took off down the road at a dead run, about twice as fast as their horses could run.
Cassie asked, “Love?”
He grunted, “I know we can’t save everyone, but it’s different when we know about it. I mean, specifically. I just keep thinking the seventy some odd left of them will just find another community like the one behind us and do it again. I gave them just enough life energy to run down the raider gang and take care of business. At two to one odds, they should prevail just on speed and strength, or at least get most of them. The sorcerer might get away, if he sees the ambush coming, since they don’t have protections, but nothing’s perfect.”
